Reversing mechanism for internal-combustion engines.



G. WILSON. REVERSING MECHANISIYI FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8. I9I5. www.

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G. WILSON.

REVERSING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL GOMBUSHON ENGINES.-

APPLICATION man FEB. 8, 1915.

Lm, Patented Feb. 6,191?.

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GEORGE W'ILSON; 0F MANKATO, MNNESOTA.

REVERSING MECANISM FOR 'INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENG-INES.

Lainate..

-application filer?. February 8, 1915.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that li, GEORGE WILSON, citizen of the United States, resident oi Mankato, county of Blue Earth, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Reversing Mechanism for internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

The object of'my invention is to provide an attachment tor gas engines and particularly for a single cylinder type of engine adapted for use on railroad hand cars to allow the operator to reverse the engine and run the car either forward or backward and thereby avoid the necessity of turning the car around whenever it is desired to change its direction of movement.l

A. further object is to provide means for reversing the engine of a hand car without the use of reversing gears between the engine driving shaft and the car axle.

The invention. consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the accompanying drawings forming part of this speciiication,

Figure 1 is an elevation of an internal combustion engine with my invention applied thereto,' Y

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, showing the position of the parts at the end oi" the compression stroke, y y

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line o-m of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a plan view,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line .Q/*g/ of Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the contact brushes,

Fig. 7 is a plan view illustrating a modified construction, y

Fig. 8 is an elevation of the same.

Tn the drawing7 2 represents the crank case of the engine, 3 the crank shaft, l a portion ot the c vlinder and 5 a portion of a piston rod connecting` the piston, (not shown) with the crank shaft. 6 is a pinion, secured on the crank shaft and meshing with a gear 7 on the cam shaft 8 upon which cams 9 and 10 are secured. The cam shaft 8 has a bearing at one end in the crank case and at the other end in a casing 2 that is bolted to the crank case. 11 is a tappet, slidable in the wall of the casing 2 and having a screw 12 mounted therein and capable Speeioation of Letterslatent.

Patented Feb. 6, 191'?.

Serial No. 6,779.

of lengthwise adjustment in position to engage and actuate thev stem .13 oi the exhaust valve, (not shown). The engine l have shown is of the type having a suction intake and is therefore provided with ei:- haust valve cams only. l do not confine myself, however, to the use of the invention with this type ot engine, for by increasing the number of cams, tappets and tappet arms, the device may be employed in an engine in which both the valves are operated mechanically. The lower end of the tappet 11 has an annular tlange 141 thereon. An arm 15 projects horizontally between the lower end of the tappet 11 and the cam shaft and has an anti-friction bearing ball 16 mounted therein to contact with the lower end of said tappet. The arm 15 has a hub loosely mounted on a shaft 17 and held thereon against lateral movement by a collar 18 and the hub 19 oi a lever 2O.V An arm 21 is mounted on the hub 19 and is preferably curved inwardly under the arm 15, so that when the operator rocks the lever he can raise the arm 15 out of contact with the cam 9; and shiit it to the cam 10 prior to reversing the movement oi the engine. The lever 20. when at rest, is adapted to lit into one of the notches 20 provided in the wall of the cam case.

Mounted on the shatt- 8 is a commutator 22 oi' insulating materiahhaving the metal plugs 23 and Ql inserted in thc surface thereof in the path of pins 25 that are slidably mounted in sleeves f2.6 and yieldingly proiected by springs 27 arranged in said sleeves. rThese contact plugs are in contact with the shaft 8 to complete the battery circuit. The sleeves 27 fit within the insulating plugs 28 and have threaded studs 29 thereon to receive binding nuts 30. The plugs 28 are mounted on a bracket 31 that is carried by the casing 2 and overhangs the commutator. The bracket 3l is provided with an arm 3l connected by a. rod 32 with an operating lever 33 that is movable over a quadrant 34. By means ot this lever the operator can ro tate the bracket 31 on its bearing and change the position of the terminal pins with respect to the conducting surfaces of the cornmut-ator to advance or retard the spark and the period of ignition oit the charge in the combustion chamber, according to the speed of the engine. rlhe operating lever can be mounted on the top of the cylinder within reach of the driver.

Springs 35 are mounted upon insulating blocks 36 that are secured to the casing and have heads 37 provided with inclined faces that are adapted to enter recesses 38 provided in an insulated pin 39 that is mounted in the lever 20. This pin has an inclined face at its end that is adapted to engage the head of the spring and put the spring under tension suflicient to allow the head to snap into the recess in the pin, thereby temporarily closing the circuit between them. The springs 35 Vhave the further function through their engagement with the insulated pin 39 of holding the lever 20 in the notches 20', preventing it from moving laterally, holding the arm 15 over the cam and clearing the arm 2l. This mechanism, embodying the electric contact and thek latch device, I regard as one of the important features of my invention, as it greatly simplifies the construction and costy of manufacture.

A conductor 40 leads from the pin 39 to an induction coil 41 and from thence to the casing yorl the ground. Between the springs and the terminals 29 I provide conductor coils 42, which are adapted to yield and. al-

low the terminals to be rocked back and forth to advance or retardv the spark.

The object of this arrangement of com.-`

mutator and brush is to provide a central orneutral position for the lever 33. 0n the quadrant 34, from Which position the engine lever maybe moved in either direction Without danger of injury to the operator by back kicky of the engine. In Fig. 1 the engine is shovfn in the` starting` position, the lever 33 being neutral; that is, capable of an equal amount of travel in either direction on thel quadrant.

The. contacts 23 and 24 are on opposite sides of the brushes 25, as indicated in Fig. 5, but out of contact therewith. The crank is in the upper center, with the gasl on compression. Upon throwing the crank either Way, the direction of rotation being indicated by the notch with which. the lever 20 is in engagement, and bringing the proper cam to bear on *the` valve tappet, the commutator will be rotated, causing the plug to contact With the brush, which has been put in the electric circuit through the ivi-re 4Q andt the catchI 37'. andy 39 to close the circuit and ignite the charge in the combustion chamber. As`

the plugs 23, and 24.are located some distance away from, the brushesQ, there is sufficient opportunity for the crank to move past the* be necessary toprovidetvvo starting positions for the lever 20to be able to retard the spark to a safe starting point. This mul.-l tiplicity of adjustments of the.A lever would necessari-ly causeV confusion. The motor Will operate With one contact brush, but this would necessitate a greater range of movement of the arm over the commutator and a longer andA more inconvenient stroke for the lever 33.

In reversing the engine, the operator will first stop the engine, disengage the pin 89 from one of the springs 35 and move the lever 20 laterally and its supporting shaft endwise in the slot 43 in f the casing 2 to a point Where the arm llwil-l be in the path of the other cam and the pin 29 will Contact with the otherv spring 35. the revolution Ofthefcam shaft in the other direction will raise the arm 1 5 and' liftf the tappet l1 to actuate the exhaust valve. The lever 33 is also operatedto shift the terminals 'and change their position with respect to the commutator contacts.

In Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a modified traction of the coils when advancing or re-V tarding the spark.

I claim as my invention:

Vl. rIhe combustion, with a., Single cylinder internal combustion engine. and itsv crank shaft, of a cam shaft geared. thereto, cams secured on` said shaft, an exhaust` valve actin. ating tappet, a looselymounted-tappeti armi arranged to,v be mcved tov a point between saidfcams and said tappet, a longitudinal-ly movable shaft Whereon said arm'is. loosely mounted, an operating leverfor said shaft, and a second arm mounted on said shaft and. having an end portion engaging said tappet arm,

2. The combination, WithY a single cylinder internal-,combustionengine and its crank shaft, of a cam shaft geared thereto, cams..

secured,l on said shaft,- an'exhaustI valve actuatingL tappet, an arm interposed betweenA said tappet, and cams and capable off more ment transversely of said tappet to transmit4 movementof either one. of, said cams to said tappet, and means for shifting said armV when the direction of movement of the cam shaftl isreversed toreverse the engine, said means, including a rock shaft having a hub thereonandanarrnprojecting Youtwardly in position to engage and lift. said tappet arm.

3.. The combination, with a single cylinder; internal. combustion engine and its crank shaft, of a cam shaftgeared thereto, cams-.secured ony said; shaft, a n exhaust valve actuating tappet, an arm interposed between In this position said tappet and cams, a sliding shaft waere on said arm is loosely mounted, a lever secured on said shaft and movable therewith and having' means for engaging said arm the sliding movement of said shaft shifting said arm from its position in the path of one cam to a position in the path of the other cam.

l, rlhe combination, with an internal combustion engine cylinder and its crank shaft, of a cani shaft geared thereto, cams secured on said shaft, an exhaust valve actuating tappet and means interposed between said tappet and cams and capable of movement transversely of said tappet to transmit movement of either one of said cams to said tappet for forward or reverse movement of said engine, a lever mounted to move said interposed means from the path of one cam to the path of the other cam, an electric circuit having insulated contact springs and an insulated pin mounted in said lever to yengage said contact springs alternately when said lever is moved to adjust the mechanism for forward or reverse movement.

5. llhe combination, with an internal combustion engine cylinder and crank shaft, of a. cam shaft geared to said crank shaft, cams secured on said shaft, an exhaust valve actuating tappet, a lever and means actuated thereby for transmitting' movement to one or the other of said cams and said tappet, means having notches therein to receive said lever in its normal stationary position, an electric circuit, a'pair of contact springs in said circuit, means carried by said lever and engaging said springs alternately for shifting the circuit from one spring to the other and for locking said lever temporarily in one or the other of said notches.

6. rlhe combination, with a single cylinder internal combustion engine havingan eX- haust valve actuating tappet, of means for varying the period of operation of said tappet and the period of ignition of the cylinder to adapt the engine for forward or reverse movement, said ignition varying means including an electric circuit and contacts therefor, brushes in said circuit, a commutator for said brushes, and an operating lever having means for engaging said confrom one to the other, for the purpose specified.

7. The combination, with a single cylinder internal combustion engine and its crank shaft, of a cam` shaft geared thereto, cams secured on said shaft, an exhaust valve actuating tappet, a lever having means for transmitting movement of said cams to said tappet and capable of movement to adjust said means from one cam to another, an electric circuit, an insulated circuit closing pin mounted in said lever in said circuit, insulated circuit closing springs having means for engaging said pin and alternately closing the circuit therethrough with the adjustment of said lever and locking said lever against premature movement.

8. The combination, with a single cylinder internal combustion engine having an elf.- liaust valve actuating tappet and means for varying the period of operation of said tappct, an electric circuit, contact springs in said circuit and through which the circuit opened and closed by the movement of said means, brushes in said circuit, a commutator and plugs therein and Contact pins in circuit with said brushes respectively and mounted to contact with the plugs in said commutator, and means for shifting said contact pins forward or backward on said commutator to advance or retard the spark.

9. The combination, with a single cylinder internal combustion engine having an eX haust valve actuating tappet, of means for varying the period of operation of said tappet, an electric circuit, brushes in said cir cuit, a commutator, contacts in circuit with said brushes respectively and mounted to ensaid commutator, and an operating lever for shifting said contacts forward or backward on said commutator to advance or retard the spark, said lever having a neutral position from which it may be moved for starting the en gine in either direction.

l0. rlhe combination, with an internal combustion engine having an exhaust valve actuating tappet, a tappet arm, cams for actuating' said arm and tappet, means for shifting said arm from the path of one cam to the path of another, said shifting means including a sliding shaft and a lever for opcrating it having means for engaging said arm, and means for varying the period of ignition of the cylinder to adapt the engine for forward or reverse movement.

1l. rlhe combination, with an internal combustion cylinder and its crank shaft, of cam shaft geared thereto, cams secured on said shaft, an exhaust valve actuating tappet, a tappet arm arranged to be moved between said camsand tappet or withdrawn therefrom, an operating lever for said tappet arm, an electric circuit, contact springs in said circuit, and means connected with tacts alternately for shifting the circuit` said lever for engaging said springs to alternately shift the circuit from one spring to ie other when said lever is operated.

l2. The combination, with a single cylinder internal combustion engine having an exhaust valve actuating tappet, of means for varying the period of operation of said tappet and electric circuit, brushes in said circuit, a commutator and plugs therein and contact pins in circuit with said brushes respectively and mounted to contact with the )lugs in said commutator, and an operating lever for shifting said pins forward or back ward on said commutator to advance or refder internal combustion engine having an exhaust valve actuating tappet, of means for varying the period of operation of said tappet and the period of ignition of the cylinder to adapt the engine for forward or reverse movement, said ignition means including an electric circuit and contacts therefor, brushes in said circuit, a commutator having contact points diagonally mounted upon opposite sides of a vertical line through the center of the commutator, an operating lever having means for engaging the contacts in said electric circuit alternately for shifting the circuit froin one to the other and also having a neutral position in which the engine may he started in either direction With a retarded spark. Y

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this .27 day of January, 1915.

GEORGE WLSON.

Witnesses:

HENRY F. LEONARD, Trios. J. PLANT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

